Pro-Choice for Michigan Workers

The people of Michigan secured a major victory in the return to Liberty. Governor Rick Snyder signed into law legislation that now allows Michigan workers the right to choose not to pay union dues and not to join a union.

Conservative principles still prevail. The majority of the American people still choose freedom over the slavery of government dependency. Speaker John Boehner and other elected Republicans on Capitol Hill need to pay careful attention.

Obama’s unions were defeated in Michigan, the home of union power and a lot of Obama’s bailout money. Obama had carried Michigan by 10% only 5 weeks earlier. Obama visited Michigan on Monday to stir up union members and to encourage them to fight back,

And by the way, what we shouldn’t do -- I just got to say this -- what we shouldn’t be doing is trying to take away your rights to bargain for better wages and working conditions. (Applause.) We shouldn’t be doing that. (Applause.) These so-called “right to work” laws, they don't have to do with economics; they have everything to do with politics. (Applause.) What they're really talking about is giving you the right to work for less money. (Applause.)

James Sherk explained in The Detroit News why President Obama had incorrectly spoken,

Right-to-work laws prevent unions from imposing mandatory fees, giving employees the right to work without paying union dues. Otherwise, right-to-work has no effect on collective bargaining. All other negotiations continue as before. What's wrong with that?

Unions object that right-to-work is actually "right-to-freeload." The AFL-CIO argues "unions are forced by law to protect all workers, even those who don't contribute financially toward the expenses incurred by providing those protections." They contend they should not have to represent workers who do not pay their "fair share."

It is a compelling argument, but untrue. The National Labor Relations Act does not mandate unions exclusively represent all employees, but permits them to electively do so. Under the Act, unions can also negotiate "members-only" contracts that only cover dues-paying members. They do not have to represent other employees.

The Supreme Court has ruled repeatedly on this point. As Justice William Brennan wrote in Retail Clerks v. Lion Dry Goods, the Act's coverage "is not limited to labor organizations which are entitled to recognition as exclusive bargaining agents of employees … 'Members only' contracts have long been recognized."

As The Heritage Foundation pointed out, the people of Michigan, including union households, strongly supported the legislation,

Regardless of news reports, the people of Michigan are behind this. A recent poll showed that 51 percent of Michigan voters support right-to-work. Only 41 percent are opposed. In fact, 40 percent of union households supported it. In November, Michigan voters rejected a ballot proposal that would have amended the state constitution to prevent the legislature from passing a right-to-work law and elevated union contracts above state law. The New York Times called it “a test case on enshrining the rights of unions,” and unions spent more than $23 million campaigning for the initiative. It lost by 15 points.

You can tell this is a big deal based on the fury of Big Labor's reaction. Union activists plan to descend on Lansing Tuesday to protest, including many from out of state. State police will have to be on duty to ensure that legislators can get through what is likely to be a loud and abusive cordon of activists who want to block the vote.

This thuggishness is a deliberate and familiar union political strategy: Cause as big a ruckus as possible in hopes of making right to work seem radical when it's already the law in nearly half the country.

We hope Republicans and Governor Rick Snyder aren't intimidated, because they have the moral and policy high ground. Union activists want voters to believe that right-to-work laws deny union organizing rights, or ban collective bargaining. President Obama peddled this distortion on Monday in Redford, Michigan, claiming that "what we shouldn't be doing is trying to take away your rights to bargain for better wages and working conditions."

Union members showed up in Lansing on Tuesday by the thousands. Most appeared to be angry, hostile, and potentially violent.

Democratic State Representative Douglass Geiss warned of violence and bloodshed. He warned his fellow lawmakers before they voted, “There will be blood, there will be repercussions."

Union thugs tore down a tent owned by Americans for Prosperity. Apparently women and elderly were trapped under the large tent with some being trampled on intentionally by union members. Such is the level of apparent hatred that resides on the Left.

Unions have been Obama’s biggest financial supporters. Union members by the tens of thousands walked blocks, raised money, and vigorously campaigned for Obama’s election.

Obama illegally took money from General Motors bondholders and gave it to the auto unions. Much of the Obama Stimulus money has gone to unions and union workers over the past two years. A major intent of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has been a slush fund for Obama to use in rewarding unions and his other major supporters.

Things have gotten very far out of hand in the United States. The people will now fix the problems and get back to the business of American Exceptionalism. The Republicans on Capitol Hill need to get on board and to be part of the solution.

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More people are excited about the Texas Tech head coach hire, than your blog.

That should be a HUGE clue as to where you stand in this community.

BTW, how is the selling of your house coming along? You seem very reluctant to address this in your blog. Oh, yeah, well that is personal and you are reluctant to comment on your "exposed" departure from Lubbock.